Avatar: The Tale of Harry, Book 1: Purity

by stringdog

Korra's time has passed and the world awaits the Avatar's return. Harry, an earthbender in his fourth year at the Elemental Academy, discovers that he is the new Avatar. Now he must master all the elements while dealing with the return of Korra's last enemy, a bloodbender set on bender supremacy and maintaining the purity of bending, and avoid making his own enemies in the process.

36. Chapter 36

Here is chapter 36 on time as always. No questions or admin stuff to address here so sit back and enjoy the latest installment in Avatar: The Tale of Harry. Book 1: Purity.

Disclaimer: As always I own nothing relating to either of these two great works of fiction.

Chapter 36

Harry spent the rest of the trip to Ba Sing Se thinking about the words Pyrites had said to him as he had left the convicted Death Eater in his new mountain top prison. Would he really see the spymaster again? In all honesty Harry felt it was very probably that they would meet again but when and under what circumstances Harry couldn't even begin to fathom. As the Avatar his problems were not limited to just Voldemort. No they weren't because if he defeated Voldemort there would be another threat at some point down the line and seeing as Hermione had yet to rear her bland, bushy head since the firebending mastery test he had a feeling that the threat of Hermione and the Enlightened was still to come.

Harry, Ron and Neville spent the rest of the trip to Ba Sing Se, the 4 hours it would take from the prison with a lighter load, going over the ISEK list of informants, patsies, dupes, unwilling conspirators and corrupted officials from Pyrites' ledgers. It was complete and up to date pending confirmation from the IBI but as far as Harry knew it was all doable. Pyrites's own confessions in his ledgers may take a long time to compile but the lists of those who aided him in anyway had been clear and easy to access, no doubt to make the information easy to act upon should it ever be given to the authorities.

The question before they had split up had been who on the list would Team Avatar bring to justice. In the end they had settled for Ambassador Parkinson. As the Air Nation Ambassador to the ISEK Parkinson was based in Ba Sing Se and he was one of the highest ranked people in the ledgers, regardless of nation. He was also one of the most willing identified spies within Pyrites's network as he was a known Purist who had gotten his prestigious job out of experience and bribery. Pyrites himself, in Death Eater robes and mask, had been the man's handler which showed how important Parkinson was to Voldemort's information network. Harry had not been surprised to see Parkinson's name in the ledgers as Parkinson's daughter, a polar bear/dog faced girl called Pansy, was one of the few open and vocal Purists in the Air House at the Academy. She was in their year and had been the 4th member of Draco's bending team that they had beaten in the final during their 3rd year. As well as that, according to Luna, Pansy was willing repository for Draco's cock and cum in any hole he chose. Given that it was almost the summer break and would be by the time they executed the raid Pansy may even be home and thus could get caught up in the raid.

Harry spent the last hour of the trip in his room mediating. He still had not managed to connect to Korra, the only past life he could connect to, nor had he ever entered the Spirit World. Harry had been unable to connect with his spiritual side under Master Sybil's teaching and Harry needed to be able to connect to the spiritual side of the Avatar in order to enter the Avatar State and become a fully realized Avatar. Harry knew would need Ginny and Luna's help with it but that would have to wait until after the raids had been executed and the mess that they would cause cleaned up. He felt he was nearly a master at waterbending and if he wanted to become a fully realized Avatar he would have to find his spiritual self. As he was meditating Harry was also thinking of arriving in Ba Sing Se and seeing his parents and Sirius again and let them know that he was safe and sound.

Harry was startled from his meditations by the captain's announcement that Ba Sing Se was on the horizon. Harry hurried to the control room to find Ron and Neville already there. Looking out of the front window Harry saw his nation's capitol for the first time. He had always heard of the sheer size of Ba Sing Se and that it was the largest city in the world but the stories did not do it justice. They had just passed over the outer wall and it took the ship a good 10 minutes, days by foot, to cross the agrarian zone to the inner wall and the lower ring.

The pollution in the air around the Lower Ring was visible in the form of a brownish smog and Harry had expected it. The population and architecture of the Lower Ring had made it impossible to truly clean up the pollution produced down there. Harry also knew, as they passed over the cramped and tightly packed ring, that it was the most densely populated section of the city. The populated was so large that Lower Ring was split into 4 Imperial States when the ISEK was formed with the Middle Ring constituting the 5th state of the Ba Sing Se Imperial States. The thing that startled Harry the most about Ba Sing Se though was how the air went from smoggy to clear as they passed over the wall between the Lower and Middle Rings. They had just entered the financial and academic heart of the Earth Kingdom.

Harry didn't pay much attention to the Middle Ring as the ship continued through it and into the lush Upper Ring as the Middle Ring was one of the most peaceful and boring places in the ISEK. The Imperial Capital of the ISEK, the Upper Ring, housed the rich, the ambassadors to the ISEK, the members of the Imperial Congress and various lobbyist groups for business and nations who wanted to lobby the Imperial Congress. At the center of the Upper Ring was the Imperial Palace of the Earth King itself. Not only did it house King Wu but it also housed both the Imperial Senate and the Imperial House of Citizens, the upper and lower houses of the Imperial Government as well as the Supreme Court of the ISEK which was tasked with interpretation the Constitution of the ISEK that Wu, Korra and other senior figures in the Earth Kingdom.

As the ship had Kyoshi diplomatic markings on it, giving the islands status as an autonomous independent nation, it was cleared to land in the central square of the palace where all the airships with diplomatic markings landed. Still it was an odd sight for those present in the palace to see the unexpected airship given that the island was not known to have one, and by the time it had landed a crowd of employees and dignitaries had arrived to gawp at it. Harry sighed as he headed to the exit. Time to surprise another nation with the unannounced and unplanned arrival of the Avatar.

The assembled people had begun to talk about who the dignitary might be that had arrived in the Kyoshi airship. Harry could hear them as the door was being opened and the gangway lowered and was amused that none of them thought that the Avatar might be aboard the unscheduled airship. He was actually relieved when he, Ron and Neville stepped onto it and began walking down it and no one was exclaiming the arrival of the Avatar. They all just seemed confused that three people in Fire Nation clothes had exited the airship and that two had earth and water colors in their long hair. That was until a very old man with long gray hair in a tight braid down his back wearing a long forest green robe to his ankles, with lighter green sleeves and gold trim and a matching skull cap stepped forward easily parting the crowd so Harry assumed that the man held some position of authority that made him recognizable and allowed him to move through the crowd unchallenged. He had evidently been drawn to the airship by the crowd and clearly recognized Harry.

"Avatar Harry, I am Grand Secretariat McPhail." The man said with a low bow. "It is my honor to welcome you and your friends to Ba Sing Se though I am surprised by this unannounced visit. We were not expecting you to come to Ba Sing Se at all."

So this was the Grand Secretariat himself, Harry knew little of the current holder but his father had explained to him the position. Originally the Grand Secretariat ran Ba Sing Se for the Earth King and was answerable only to him but over the years the role had gone through many changes from basically running the Earth Kingdom when Long Feng held the title to being an obedient servant when a man called Gun held it. Now though the title bore a slightly different role as it denoted the Speaker of the House of Citizens. The Grand Secretariat was still tasked with the internal running of the Earth Kingdom though now he, no woman had ever held the role, served as the bridge between the elected representatives and the Earth King and was in fact one of the Representatives himself though from which state Harry did not know. The Secretariat was elected by the House of Citizens every two years, usually a long tenured member of the majority party, from among their own. He was also charged with greeting new dignitaries to the Imperial Palace when they arrived and advised the Earth King on the running of Ba Sing Se and the state of the Earth Kingdom as a whole.

"Grand Seconded McPhail it is an honor to meet you." Harry replied bowing. "May I introduce Prince Ron of the Southern Water Tribe and Lord Neville of the Fire Nation to you. They are my friends and advisors. I deeply apologize for this unannounced arrival but circumstances mandated that we not divulge our flight path or let any in the Earth Kingdom that my destination was Ba Sing Se given the potential for communications being intercepted by Voldemort and his Death Eaters."

Harry hated some of the pomp and ceremony that went on in the Upper Ring, even after the establishment of the ISEK and the Imperial Congress, but it was a necessity custom that wasn't going to die anytime soon. Still he wasn't comfortable with all these people being around as he had the sensitive information in his go bag with him and sensitive prisoners in the brig of the airship behind him.

"I apologize for my unannounced and unscheduled visit, especially as it is my first to the Imperial Capital of my home nation." Harry said. "But I and my friends bring news of a sensitive nature regarding the situation in the Fire Nation and we wish to speak to his majesty King Wu and the Director of the IBI right away."

"Of course Avatar I will escort you to the throne room at once." McPhail said. "Would you like me to send a messenger to your father. He is currently in committee but he should be out in an hour or so."

"Yes but let him know that I will see him when I am done with the Earth King." Harry said after a pause. "I unfortunately cannot be sidetracked right now. I have traveled far and been through much in the last few weeks but alas there is still much to do."

Harry knew that info of his whereabouts would reach Voldemort soon enough, if the Dark Lord did not already know he had left the Fire Nation that is, but while he was in the Imperial Palace he was relatively safe. That being said the last two Avatars had been forced to engage in battle in the palace so he probably should be on his guard.

"Very well if you will follow me." McPhail said as he turned and walked through the crowd which parted for them murmuring about the sudden arrival of the Avatar and the fact that he had been in the Fire Nation.

Harry assumed that his flight from the Elemental Academy was known but his whereabouts for the last few weeks seemed to have been unknown to the general public and now they were shocked to see him resurface suddenly in the courtyard of the Imperial Palace in Ba Sing Se after arriving in an airship bearing the markings of the Kyoshi Warriors while dressed like a Fire Nation noble and with only 2 of the 4 other members of Team Avatar. This was certainly going to spark a lot of gossip that Harry did not want but could not avoid.

Harry and his friends followed the Grand Secretariat up the wide steps and into the central part of the large Imperial Palace. During the riots of Ba Sing Se after the assassination of the Earth Queen by Zaheer the palace had been looted of anything of value and when Kuvira had stabilized Ba Sing Se she had done little to the palace as she did not believe in royalty and did not use Ba Sing Se as the capital of her Earth Empire.

In the last 60 or so years of King Wu's reign he had restored the palace to its previous grandeur with a modern twist. Many of the new works of art and valuables on display in the palace had been created since the founding of the ISEK and represented the new Earth Kingdom reborn and redesigned in the wake of the anarchy and then tyranny it had suffered after the Red Lotus abruptly threw it into chaos. Harry actually liked it, it gave the palace more of an actual dwelling feel than the Royal Palace in the Fire Nation had given Harry as he had felt like it was a museum and not someone's dwelling. No Harry actually liked the Imperial Place.

After about 5 minutes of walking through long, tall, corridors they finally reached a large set of stone doors inlaid with jade and gold. Two golden carved badger moles served as the handles though Harry knew the doors could only be opened by earthbending them. Two Imperial Guards in segmented green armor stood at attention on either side of the door. Judging by their lack of weapons Harry assumed that they were earthbenders.

"The Avatar is here and seeks an audience with the Earth King." McPhail said to the guards.

They just looked at Harry to verify that he was indeed the Avatar despite the Fire Nation clothes (his green headband denoting his Earth Kingdom ties) before nodding and opening the doors with earthbending. Harry walked into the large throne room of the Earth King and marveled at its splendor. While the throne room in the Fire Nation had been modified over the years to accommodate the Fire Assembly this room had not. Wu had restored it to the exact way it had always been with the ornate pillars, the raised dais at the far end and the throne of the Earth King set into the center of it and carved to resemble a badgermole, the original earthbenders.

King Wu lounged in the chair clearly looking bored which had become a pose he was famous for. Harry knew that his King had a lot of energy and liked to be constantly active, often traveling his nation to see his people and share their experiences, and inflict his songs upon them. Wu hated being cooped up in one place, a remnant of his exile days during the Anarchy of the Earth Kingdom. However due to the threat and the fact that Wu was the only major world leader who wasn't a bender and as such the highest target on Voldemort's list, he had been forced to stay in the Imperial Palace for his own safety. To Wu's side was his faithful bodyguard, advisor, confidant and long suffering friend and member of Korra's Team Avatar, Mako.

Harry saw as Wu looked up at their entrance and then his face brighten when he recognized Harry. He let out a shriek of surprise and joy and leapt from his throne and actually ran at Harry at a pace a man of Wu's advanced age should not have been able to run at. Harry could have sworn he had heard Mako groan just before he was engulfed in a hug from his own King. Seriously what was it with world leaders and hugging the Avatar.

"Avatar Harry your safe and back home at last. We were so worried when we had heard of the fall of the United Republic and the Elemental Academy." King Wu said quickly. "We knew you had escaped because of the clearly false charges brought against you by that puppet President Thicknesse but still we didn't know exactly where you had gone until we heard from Iroh that you had made it safely to the Fire Nation. Now you're back home, well in your home nation, though I didn't recognize you for a moment in that Fire Nation get up. What brings you to Ba Singe Se. I take it that this is not a social call that I can use as an excuse to throw a massive party."

"Unfortunately news and information about the war." Harry said looking at his King seriously. "Your Majesty I and my friends are currently in possession of some highly sensitive material, plans and prisoners being transferred to the Catacombs though the later is not related to the Voldemort and his Death Eaters. Is there some place where the 4 of us, perhaps 5 as I know you trust Mako and so did Korra, could go to discuss all this. There is a lot to talk about and explain and not a lot of time unfortunately. Also if you could contact the Director of the IBI and have him brought here that would speed this up, unless you do not trust him."

"No I trust him." Wu said firmly as he became serious at Harry's words. Wu may be boisterous and a little immature but he cared deeply about his people and would do anything to protect the Earth Kingdom. "He is a nonbender so he has no loyalty to Voldemort and as the Director of the IBI he has to pass an annual truth seeing to prove his loyalty. I am assuming this is about Voldemort and not any other threat."

"It is." Harry replied. "Though the prisoners are tied to the Enlightened and the Chosen but they can be dealt with at another time given the pressing nature of the Voldemort Threat."

"Good then follow me. There is a small library in which we can talk more peacefully." Wu said. "I will have the servants fetch some tea and dumplings from the Jasmine Dragon, it's still the best tea shop in all of Ba Sing Se. Grand Secretariat McPhail would you please send someone for Director Abbott, he should be in the Imperial Palace somewhere or the Long Feng building. I don't know why we don't change that damn name but Feng and his Dai Li were a precursor to the IBI, albeit more treasonous."

"The traditionalist in congress have blocked every attempt to change the name your highness." McPhail said. "Besides there is a good argument to keep it as such. Long Feng may have been a right bastard but still to this day we use his tactics and teachings in IBI training."

With that Wu turned and hurried to the back right hand door, completely ignoring the Grand Secretariat and his words as McPhail turned to leave via the front entrance to the throne room. Mako just looked exacerbated as he followed his old, childish friend. Harry looked at Ron and Neville and shrugged before following the Earth King. Wu was an oddball but he was loyal to the Avatar and to his country.

"Thank you Grand Secretariat." Harry said to the retreating McPhail as they hurried after Wu though he didn't get to hear a response from the old politician.

They followed Wu out of the throne room, into a small side corridor and a moment later into a small private library. It was tastefully decorated with a desk, a few comfy sofas made from green leather, a lot of scrolls and a small fireplace that warmed the room. King Wu sat behind the desk with Mako standing just behind him so that Harry, Ron and Neville had to take the seats on the sofas. In short order a servant came in bearing a tray loaded with tea and dumplings and offered it to them. Harry sipped the tea he had been given and was impressed, it certainly was the best jasmine tea he had ever tasted. The Dragon of the West's secret had been passed down over the years it seemed. They only waited a few more minutes before a man Harry had never met before walked in unannounced and stood by the door once it closed.

Harry could tell at once that this man must be Director Abbott, the Director of the IBI. He was a tall, broad man, despite not being a bender, wearing a dark green suit, white shirt and matching green tie. He had close cropped blond hair and looked vaguely familiar to Harry. Harry couldn't see an obvious weapon on the man but Harry didn't doubt that the Director was armed with weapons he knew how to use.

"Your Majesty, I received word you requested my presence and came at once." Abbott said before seeing Harry. If he was surprised to see the Avatar here he did not show it. "Avatar Harry it is an honor to finally meet you. I was expecting you to arrive here at some point after we received word that you had reached the Fire Nation safely but I was not expecting you or your friends so soon or unannounced, though in hindsight I see why you did that. Last I had heard you were expected to stay in the Fire Nation indefinitely. It is good to see you alive and well, my daughter Hannah is in your year at the Academy and has spent the last few years complaining that your skill makes them all look bad though she said no one was surprised to learn that you were the Avatar."

That was where he recognized Abbott, it was through his daughter. She was a nice girl if a little vapid at times and certainly not the most driven person in her bending pursuits but he got along with her.

"Director Abbott the pleasure is all mine." Harry said rising and bowing to Abbott. "I assume you know my friends already."

"Prince Ron, Lord Neville I apologize for my rudeness in not greeting you I was just pleased to see that you all were ok after the attack on the Academy." Abbott said.

"It is ok Director." Ron said. "I cannot speak for Neville but as a member of the Southern Water Tribe I find these formalities a little unnecessary."

"Don't we all." Wu butted in. "But alas the traditionalist insist upon them and it is hard to get rid of millennia of custom overnight. Anyway now that we are all here what has brought the Avatar to Ba Sing Se."

"And before you ask Avatar this room is secure." Director Abbott said. "It is swept daily for any eavesdropping devices."

"That is good to know as I have come with sensitive information from the Fire Nation." Harry said as he began his report. "While In the Fire Nation we uncovered a Death Eater spy within the Fire Assembly. He was a senior member of the Assembly in fact and one who had never been suspected by any authority, including the IBI and RCPD, and who turned out to be the spymaster for Voldemort with a global network of variously willing informants and spies. Most of the informants within the network did not know they were working for Voldemort."

Harry paused to let his words sink in. He could see the stunned looks on all three of the men's faces. It had been like that for all who had found out about Pyrites and his actions. Sighing Harry proceeded to tell them all that they had been up too from the moment the Academy had been attacked up to leaving Pyrites in an undisclosed prison for his own protection as well as to serve out his sentence for the millions of crimes he had committed. Harry finished by pulling out the ledgers and tapes they had made on the ISEK network along with the compiled list of Earth Kingdom citizens or residents who they had been able to gleam from the ledgers and handed it to Abbott. Harry knew they could trust the IBI Director as he had not been on the list except as a target to be removed and replaced by either a dupe, sympathizer or corrupt agent. The man's eyes went wide as he scanned the long list.

"You are sure of this information?" Abbott asked after a moment of looking over the list. "Because there are many on this list who are powerful or well connected and only some with known Purist leanings. There are also several nonbenders which is a group Voldemort would never touch or trust."

"True." Ron agreed. "But remember who we got them from. Pyrites was the most uncommon Death Eater we have ever met or heard of. Firstly his willingness to cooperate and come quietly when cornered was unexpected but welcome as none of us wished to fight him. Then there was the fact that while he never denied his views, he never once ranted or raved about them being the greatest thing in human history and demanding that we follow them. All he did was confirm they were is and that he wished them to be law but he seemed at ease with us holding views he deemed as inferior. He didn't even insult us for being blood traitors. He almost seemed relieved to no longer be living a lie, to be able to voice his true beliefs and to live openly as a Purist and Death Eater. He was educated, sophisticated and restrained things that make him good as a spy but not like the other Death Eaters we have been forced to deal with. Why he was at the Academy on the night of Voldemort's coup I do not know but it doesn't surprise me that he would use any methods to get information or avoid being caught."

"I agree." Mako said switching to cop mode. "I have dealt with assholes like this before but never on such a scale or really outside of the Triads. Do you have a plan Avatar?"

"I'll let Ron explain as he's our brains and planner." Harry said with a smile. "I'm a more the punch it till it works kinda guy."

"Just like Korra." Mako said with a laugh. "So Ron what is the plan."

"Well we have devised a plan to execute a global, simultaneous strike on all listed targets who are still alive and walking free." Ron said. "This will be the largest simultaneous law enforcement operation in history and the first to span all 4 elements and 5 major nations, we cannot strike at those in the United Republic due to Voldemort's occupation. Right now we are here to coordinate with the IBI for the raids throughout the Earth Kingdom, with the exception of the 5 states we cannot access due to the current global situation, and to confirm the status of the people on the list. My sister and girlfriend are currently in the Southern Water Tribe right now with my eldest brother Bill, who is currently serving as regent there while dad is sorting out the Northern Water Tribe. They will coordinate the plans for the raids for the Southern Water Tribe while Luna and Bill's fiancé, an airbender called Fleur, contact Archabbot Milo using airbender techniques and make the plans for the Air Nation. We have already prepped the Fire Nation for the raids pending final approval. Once all this is done the girls, Ginny and Luna that is, will come to Ba Sing Se and join us here for the raids here and the final planning. That final planning will take place in Xai Bau's Grove in the Spirit World where all representatives can meet to go over the final plan. Given the sensitivity of this information and the sheer volume of people involved we have proposed that only those who need to know of the details know and only after being vetted by a trusted truth seer like the Avatar or his father. The unit leaders who will be carrying out the raids will not be informed of their precise targets or even of the charges against them until just before the raid is set to commence. This is to prevent spooking any of those on the lists and losing this once in a lifetime chance to cripple Voldemort's spy network. If we succeed it will give us the upper hand in this war and we need that cos right now we're on the ropes and barely holding on."

"It sounds complex, complicated and just as Sokka would have planned it during his time with Team Avatar." Mako said after digesting the plan. Ron beamed at the comparison to his hero. "It will be hard to execute and unfortunately there are a few places we cannot touch and some targets will escape but it will be worth it in the end. That is so long as it goes off without a hitch."

"Is there any really desired targets?" Abbott asked looking at the list again.

"There's one Death Eater who we really want caught." Harry said unable to keep the anger out of his voice. "Their spy in the Order of the Phoenix, Peter, my father's former teammate, fellow marauder and Pro-bending Hall of Famer who turned traitor against the forces of light in the last year of the First Purity War."

"Your father's aid? Yes we have heard from Regulus on his theory hence why he is here under close scrutiny." Abbott said. "And Pyrites's ledgers confirmed his status?"

"Yes they did." Harry said as he tried to calm himself. "He is the big target we are going after but there are others. Team Avatar would like permission to arrest Ambassador Parkinson if that is ok. He's a high ranking spy for the Death Eaters who is a willing accomplice, a known Purist, and he knows who he is working for."

"I don't see why not." Abbott said. "We need all the help we can get and the Avatar is a public servant with the authority to arrest anyone who has violated the laws of any nation though I will have to formally deputize your fellow team members so that they too have the authority to arrest Ambassador Parkinson and anyone else who tries to prevent y'all from completing the arrest."

"Thank you." Harry said pleased that the Director had allowed them all to partake in the raids. "Now before we begin coordinating with the IBI I would like an update on the situation in the Earth Kingdom with the 4 states that have seceded. It has been hard to get news about them while in the Fire Nation."

"Unfortunately there hasn't been much development on that front." Wu said somberly. "The walls that were along the United Republic border with Tor Blinn and Kuei have been removed while Hou Tin has erected a wall on it's borders with the United Republic, Kuei and Tor Blinn. As such the United Army is trapped in Hou Tin due to the neighboring states and while we want to go in and crush these assholes we can't because the walls would take too long to siege and they currently have air superiority over us our forces are stretched too thing at the moment to attack. The only way to easily take down a wall is with lavabending and the only known lavabenders alive are you and Bolin so not much of a chance there as you are needed here and Bolin is in prison."

"So still a stalemate with the states and the United Republic." Ron stated. "I expected as much."

"Unfortunately so." Abbott said. "Thicknesse is claiming authority there cos of that rigged election he held a few weeks ago but we know it is a lie. At least with the liberation of the Northern Water Tribe we have dealt Voldemort a blow and started to tip the scales of this war in our favor. Now with this information and Pyrites locked away we can deal a decisive blow to Voldemort's network and hopefully box him into the United Republic."

"Speaking of Pyrites what happened to the other prisoners?" Neville suddenly asked. "In all the rush I think we forgot about the Enlightened and Chosen prisoners we had in the airship."

"Not to worry that is where I was when Grand Secretariat McPhail contacted me." Abbott said. "I had been informed of the transfer by Iroh a few days ago but not of how or when it would happen so it wasn't until the captain of that ship radioed my personal radio and she provided me with the codes from Iroh that confirmed she had the prisoners he was sending me. They will be transferred to the Catacombs Prison Complex once night falls and there aren't people around to see who is being transferred. This is a precaution given their allegiances to known terrorist groups. They will be formally booked and then interrogated before beginning their life sentences in the highest security level, the supermax segregated area, of the prison. It is good to know that we finally have members of both terrorist groups in custody, perhaps we can finally learn more about them as we will be interrogating them periodically for years in hopes that they break. You have done well Avatar and I look forward to working with you this week. If that is all I have a lot of work to do checking out all these targets and confirming their status. Don't worry I won't let any of my subordinates know why we are interested in them. We are the IBI after, we're interested in everyone in the Earth Kingdom."

Director Abbott turned and took the sheet of paper with all the Earth Kingdom targets on it with him and went to the door. As he was about to open it the door burst open and three people entered causing the IBI Director to jump back with a level of agility Harry was not expecting. Harry only had a moment to recognize his parents and Sirius before he was engulfed in a hug by his mother.

"Harry I can't believe you are here! We were so worried when we heard of the attack on the Elemental Academy." His mother said holding him close. "We heard you had escaped but we didn't know where you had gone until your father received reports that you were in the Fire Nation with the Firelord. They were classified of course but as your parents we were entitled to see them. When did you get to Ba Sing Se and why didn't you tell us you were here?"

"Lily if I may I was the reason for why Harry was unable to tell you when he got here." King Wu said causing his parents and Sirius to turn to look at the Earth King, his mother still holding him, and seemed to realize for the first time that the Earth King was present. "Harry has been busy being the Avatar and discovered something while in the Fire Nation. He needed to see me as soon as he landed and probably didn't want to disturb you or alert a certain person to his presence in Ba Sing Se."

"Of course sorry your majesty." Lily said letting Harry go and giving her liege a small curtsy.

"Its ok mom you're allowed to worry." Harry said with a smile, it was good to see his parents again. "I want to hear what has been going on here and I do have a lot to tell you too."

"Of course son, there is a lot to discuss." James said proudly. "Your majesty if my son is not needed I would like to take him and his friends to my place in the upper ring."

"No I believe we are done here." Wu said smiling. "I will see you tomorrow Avatar and we can begin the plans. Prince Ron, Lord Neville I would be honored if both of you would attend as well."

"As you wish your majesty." Ron said while Neville just nodded.

With the meeting clearly over Harry rose to bow to his king. His friends did the same and they all left with his parents and Sirius. Director Abbott had already left having snuck out while Harry and his parents were reuniting.

"Peter isn't here is he?" Harry whispered as they were walking through the Imperial Palace, he didn't have time to use his seismic sense to 'see' if Peter's profile was in the vicinity.

"No he is running an errand for me in the Middle Ring right now." James said. "And don't worry my place is swept for recording devises every day. After the secession of those 4 states all members of the Imperial Congress have to have their places swept daily by IBI agents."

"Good because there is a lot of highly classified stuff I need to read you into." Harry said. "And we need a safe space to store some important documents that I feel should be near me at all times."

His father just nodded and they walked in silence to the main entrance and once there they got into a satomobile that was waiting for them. It was one of the stretch ones to accommodate all of them. The journey to the representatives' district of the Upper Ring was uneventful and pleasant. Soon they were outside a two storied house on a row of similar houses.

"This is my official residence while I am in Ba Sing Se." James said. "It belongs to the State of Omashu and is used for one of their senators but I've made it as homely as possible."

Harry could tell that when they got in. it was just like their place in Omashu. Filled with mementos to James' career and accomplishments and art that Lily had gotten to offset her husband's lack of class as she put it. Originally his mother had had final say on interior decoration but after her shoes kept betting swallowed by the earth and only James's seismic sense could see them she relented and allowed her husband to publicly display his narcissism.

"Come Harry let's go to the basement den." Lily said. "Bring your things as y'all will have to stay there as this place is only a two bedroom and Sirius and Regulus are living in the other bedroom until they can return to the Northern Water Tribe."

"Where is Regulus?" Ron asked. "I'm not sure what he's been up too since the War Council meeting."

"He's spent a lot of his time with the IBI." Sirius said speaking for the first time since Harry had seen his godfather again. "Being debriefed and providing what information he can to them. He'll be back later though, right now he's off with the other exiles that make up the new acting council of the Northern Water Tribe going through all of the rules Lucius put into place when he declared his formal support for Voldemort and invalidating any that are discriminatory or promote bender supremacy. So far that is all of them. As a result we have been forced to draft a whole new constitution for the Northern Water Tribe so that we can actually restore the nation to what it was before Lucius and his cronies seized power. The liberation was needed and it worked perfectly but alas there is still much that needs to be done before we can return. We must clear out all of Lucius's remaining supporters in the North so as to make our return as safe as possible and we want the new constitution to be ready to present to the citizens of the North as soon as I get back. I must admit I was hesitant to take the job at first given my carefree attitude and disagreements with the old aristocracy of the Northern Water Tribe that my parents were a part of but it's grown on me since I've been in Ba Sing Se. Trying to restore my nation to one of peace, tolerance and understanding and the fact that I am in a key spot to restore the North has given me a new perspective on things and has given me the desire to lead my country out of the darkness and into the light as their new Chief. Your parents and King Wu have been a great help both personally on this journey and towards the creation of the new and improved Northern Water Tribe."

"I think part of that has to do with you actually growing up at last." Lily said with a laugh. "You finally have responsibility that doesn't involve coaching a team of probenders and you have realized you liked it. Though that leadership may have been a good stepping stone for where you are now though you can't go around chasing every hot piece of female ass you see now that you are about to lead a nation."

"Yes that is the main drawback to being Acting Chief in Exile." Sirius said with a rueful smile.

"Well that answers my main question." Harry said laughing at his godfather's words.

By the end of Sirius' ramblings they had reached the basement den, or more accurately James's man cave. The cave part was literal as James appeared to have carved it out of the earth beneath the house. There were sofas, a well stocked bar and sports memorabilia from James's probending days was everywhere as well as a VV in one wall. It would be a good place to sleep and plan for the upcoming raids.

"Sirius just answered what he's been up too but what about you?" Harry asked his parents as he sat down.

"We have been just as busy." James said with an air of importance that fooled no one. "The Imperial Congress is in full, emergency, session right now trying to deal with the situation but as usual it's hard to get everyone to agree on a course of action. The generals want invade Skrit and Yi as they are isolated states but can't get the support of 75% of us which they need for such an operation. So most of my time has been spent in debates or meetings of varying degrees of excitement in the Senate wing."

"And I have been working with the Northern exiles on their plan for the North once they return." Lily said. "It's hard to hammer out a new constitution that supports equality for all and doesn't punish benders for the crimes of a few extremists or later on their ancestors but it's coming along. The hardest part was ensuring a clause declaring affirmative action, preferential treatment of nonbenders over benders purely because they are nonbenders, as an illegal form of discrimination but we got it in there after a compromise that allowed for nonbenders to not be discriminated against because they are nonbenders in any walk of life with the exception of an area that can only be accomplished with bending though for the life me I can't think of one at the moment, especially since the North doesn't build exclusively with ice anymore. There is also a provision that stipulates all appointments by the Chief must be based on merit and not on anything arbitrary. Anyway can you please tell us what you have been up too since the assault on the Academy. We heard what you did in order to escape and don't worry we don't think you're a murderer. You killed people in battle who would have killed, or in your case captured, you and we raised you to only take a life when it is absolutely necessary and unavoidable and in that situation it certainly was."

"Thanks mom." Harry said smiling.

He had honestly not really thought of the 7 lives he had taken in the battle. As his mother had said it was a kill or be killed situation and he wasn't going to regret ending the lives of animals like Wilkes and Ustur when it was them or him. He knew he would almost certainly have to kill again so why dwell on it when he had more important shit to deal with. He could deal with his actions if and when he defeated Voldemort.

Knowing his mother wanted to hear the full story Harry proceeded to tell his parents and Sirius all that they had been through, all that they had planned while in the Fire Nation and that the girls would join them soon for the final stage. Letting them know that they had confirmation of Peter's betrayal and that his father and Sirius would be the ones who would, once approved by Director Abbott, arrest their former friend in the upcoming raids. All 3 were invited to help in the preparations if they had time but Harry doubted they would be able to help with the preparations. They spent the rest of the day catching up and resting after the long trek from the Fire Nation. Harry was still on edge after everything but he knew he still could not relax for soon they would execute the raids and hopefully deal a massive blow to Voldemort's plans. They needed to take the upper hand in this war and they were on the brink of doing so, they just couldn't fuck it up. The counter attack was about to begin.

Well here is another more administrative chapter that deals with Harry's first trip to Ba Sing Se (where the next few chapters will be set). Again another 8,000+ word chapter so sorry for going over my attempted average range again but nothing I could do about that. Only things to note here is that McPhail is a real Harry Potter character mentioned on Pottermore as a former Minister for Magic who was in Hufflepuff and would be about 100 years old when Harry was at school so I used him as an earthbending, senior politician. In addition Hannah Abbott is referred to as a half-blood and seeing as her mother was murdered in Half-Blood Prince I assumed her unknown father would be the muggle and as such a nonbender in my story. He will serve a brief part of this story while Harry is in Ba Sing Se. That's all I have for this section so as always any questions asked during the week via PM or review will be answered at the start of next week's chapter when it is uploaded at the usual time and anything constructive will be listened too. Until next week.

Stringdog